let's start with chuck hagel. he was on the hot seat at the confirmation hearing to become the next defense secretary. he surely was on the defensive side it seems. listen to this. >> i don't think there was a letter that i can recall -- i don't recall the event. i don't recall that. i regret referencing the jewish lobby. i regret saying that. i regret that i used those words. not the term i should have used. i should have said pro-israel. i should have used another term. i'm sorry. i misspoke. >> joining me is cnn contributor maria cardona and amy holmes, anchor of "the real news" on "the blaze." good morning. nice to see you. maria, were you surprised at hagel's performance? >> certainly i wouldn't call it the smoothest confirmation hearing performance ever. but what i was really pricesed at was the grilling, the tough grilling he got from his former republican colleagues, one of his former closest friends, senator mccain. while it wasn't the smoothest of performances on behalf of senator hagel, i do think that